Automobile-wheel.



W. MELLEN.

AUTOMOBILE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1911.

Patented Apr. 9,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- I N VEN TOR.

W1 TNESS:

A TTORNE Y.

W. MILLEN.

AUTOMOBILE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1911.

Patented Apr. 9,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTQR.

WITNESS:

ninio STATES PAT r ion.

WEBSTER MILLEN, OF RENO, NEVADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD To ARTHUR MILLEN' AND ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM L. HUBNER, BOTH 0F RENO, NEVADA. I

AUTOMOBILE-WHEEL.

Patented Apr. 9, 1 918..

Application filed July 5, 1917. Serial No. 178,765.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WEBs'rnn Mmnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Reno, in the county of WVashoe, State of Nevada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wheels and particularly pertains to wheels of the spring type in which a series of spring elements are interposed between a pair of spaced concentric wheel rims to afford a resilient mounting for the outer rim.

It is the object of this invention to provide a construction and arrangement of spring elements whereby an inner wheel member will be supported within an outer rim and suspended therein in such manner that the rim and wheel member will have secured Without direct connection to permit their ready removal and replacement.

Another object is to provide a wheel embodying a pair of disks connected together and spaced apart by spacing bolts, and an outer rim having side plates separated by spacing bolts adapted to be disposed intermediate the bolt-s on the disks, in which the resilient connection between the disks and rim is effected by a series of springs of the plate type formed to seat on the spacing bolts and so engaged therewith as to be securely held in place.

Other objectswill appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the ac companying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the wheel partly in elevation and partly in vertical section as seen on the line A-B of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a view in section as seen on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the manner of mounting the outer rim on the Wheel disks, with the springs removed.

Fig. 4 is a detail showing how the ends of the springs are seated on the wheel rim bolts.

More specifically 1 indicates a wheel spindie, 2 ball-bearings thereon, and 3 a wheel hub supported on the bearings and spindle. A pair of corresponding sheet metal disks 4: are rigidly secured to the ends of the hub and are spaced apart at their outer edges.

' tion.

A pair of ring flanges 5 on the edges of a 1 series of springs 8 interposed between the 1 wheel rim and disks and the manner of mountmg same, as will'presently appear. The ring flanges 5 of the wheel rim are spaced apart and also held in engagement with the Wheel rim by spacing bolts 9 which are formed with reduced threaded ends inserted through perforations in the flanges and on which nutsare screwed to bind the flanges against shoulders at the base of the reduced end portions of the bolts. The bolts 9 are spaced from the inner face of the rim. The inner faces ofthe ring flanges are formed with shoulders in which the wheel rim seats and have curved flanges on their outer edges projecting beyond the outer face of the rim to engage the side flanges of the tire as is common in flanged rim construc- The outer edges of the disks are spaced apart and connected together by spacing bolts 10 corresponding to the bolts 9. The bolts 9 and 10 are'so arranged in relation to each other that when the wheel I disks and rim are placed in their proper in U-shape, on opposite sides if the saddle with the outer limbs extending divergently and bent back in inverted U-shape thus forming oppositely inclined S-shaped spring members connected together at their inner ends. The outer ends of the spring members are bent back on half loops to form hooks adapted to engage the bolts 9; the hooks on the ends of adjacent spring members being adapted to nest one within the other. The outer curved portions of the springs" are preferably arranged to lie in contact with the inner wall of the rim but obviously may be spaced therefrom.

The disks 4 are attached to the hub 3 by bolts 11 or other suitable fastenings.

Any suitable type of tire may be mounted on the wheel rim and in event the ordinary pneumatic tire is employed a covered opening 12 is provided in the flange 5 and'the disk"there beneath. The tire hereshownis of the cushiontype Whichconsists of the usual. outer casing having a filler 13 therein. This filler is preferably formed of felt fitted ith a rubber tube 14 at its center; the filler bein-g'split or divided at 15 on its inner periphery to permit the tube being placed therein. I i

In assembling the Wheel one of the disks is fastened to the hub; and the bolts 10,-are

set in place. fThe wheel rim and one of the flanges with the bolts!) thereon is then disposedinposition on the disk. The springs 8 may then" be set in place whereupon the other disk is secured inp osition. The is then mounted on the Wheel rim andthe other rim flange securedin position, The operat on of the lnvention 1s obvious. I

WhileIhaVe set forth a specific erhbodiment of my invention it is manifest that various changes maybe made in details of construction Withoutdeparting from'the' invention as setforth in the accompanying claims.

Iclaimz V 1. In aiWheel, an inner Wheel membena series 'of bolts carried thereby, an outer.

spaced relation, a Wheel rim, a. pair of flanges on sa d run, spacmg bolts connectmg said flanges, and oppositely mclined spring members extending from thebolts on the disks to the bolts on the flan es; said springsseating on the outer side the bolts Copies of this patent may be pbtainedtor 4V lVitnesses;

meagre on the disks and having their ends seating 3. In a Wheehan, inner-.wheel member, a series of bolts carried thereby, an outer Wheel member, bolts thereon, and a series of spring members bent to form oppositely inclined S-shaped portions connected by an inverted U-shaped saddle intermediate their ends, the saddle portion being set astride the bolts on the inner heel. member from the outer side thereof and seating at their'ends on the innerside of the bolts carried by the outer Wheel member. i. In a Wheel, a hub, a pair Off Wheel disks thereon, bolts connecting the outer edges of said disks and holding same in spaced 're lation, a Wheel rim, a pair of den'iountable flan'g'es' on said rim, spacing "bolts connect- "in'g 'saidjfianges and serving to holdsam'e in spaced relation and springs seating between the boltsfon the disks and flanges.

' In a wh'eel,'a spring bent upon itself intermediate itsends to form an inverted U- sl1aped sacldle and bentclownwardly and thence inclined upwardly on opposite sides of the saddle, the end portions of said spring bein bent in inverted U form, an inner f \iiheel member, and an outer wheel member between Vvhich'said springs are interposed.

6. In a Wheel, an inn'erfwheel member,

'spacedbolts on therim thereof, an'outer Wheel member, spacedf'bolts thereon, and a series of springs having afportion seating .astride'th'e outer face of the bolts on the in- I nerf 'rheei member and 1a portionseating astride the bolts on the outer iirheellmember,

said springs extending fobliquely "between "the bolts andhaving U-shaped portions proj ecting beyond the bolts.

WEBSTER MILLEN- JoHN YPOYHLAND, 7 CHARLES H. 'BURRrr'r.

five cents each, by addressing" the, Commissioner: ofiPa't'ents. Wash'ingttm, are. 7

' on the inner side :ofthe-bolts on the flanges. 

